To Pluck a Rose
by Himizu-chan
Summary: "You know, the phrase 'to pluck a rose' once meant 'to pick up a prostitute' in Scotland." "Well, somehow I don't think this was what they meant." Loosely based on the movie Pretty Woman. Cunning businessman Kyouya picks up a prostitute, but he doesn't want sex. Streetwalker Kaoru has been kicked around by life, and he's used to abuse, so he doesn't know what to make of this.
1. Chapter 1

To Pluck a Rose

Chapter 1

A/N: Yep, here we go, another angsty Kyouya/Kaoru fic in which I will break their spirits and destroy their souls in the name of creating an awesomely tragically perfect romance. Because apparently I'm not happy writing Kyouya/Kaoru unless one or both of them is just completely fucking broken.

This fic seriously has the weirdest origin story of all time. I was watching the TV show Cities of the Underworld and they were talking about Scotland, and they had a random fact that Rose Street was so named because the phrase "to pluck a rose" meant "to pick up a prostitute" and Rose Street was the "red light district" so to speak. And just like that, bam! Fanfic!

As I mentioned in the summary, this is LOOSELY based on the movie Pretty Woman. I will emphasize that again, LOOSELY! I'm using it as a guideline! Not an exact storyboard! I have a cruel streak a mile wide, and I'm not above tormenting characters. This fic will be way grittier than Pretty Woman, and it's definitely NOT a rom-com. This should be interesting…

There will be references to drug use, prostitution (obviously), some homophobic language, hints at sexual assault/abuse/etc., a whole bunch of nasty stuff from Kaoru's past (in vague terms, but still), and maybe some other crazy shit, we'll see… I'll post warnings as needed.

Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran Host Club or Pretty Woman.

* * *

It was raining.

Of course it was bloody raining. The one day Kaoru Hitachiin didn't want it to rain…

Actually, that was a lie. There was no good day for it to rain… he always had to be on the street…

The skinny young man sat with his knees drawn up to his chest under a small overhang. It wasn't much, as far as shelters went, but it was all he had. He ran his last cigarette between his fingers, making sure it was sufficiently dry. It would seriously suck if the damn thing was too wet to be lit…

His hands shook as he pulled the lighter from his pocket. Nicotine would take the edge off of that though, he hoped as he carefully held the cigarette between his teeth and sheltered it with his hands to light it. After a few quick puffs, the cigarette finally caught and he inhaled deeply, savoring the smoke in his lungs before exhaling, long and slow. He tilted his head up, just in time to catch a few errant raindrops on his face. Automatically his hand darted out to shade the cigarette.

It was dark and the wind was definitely picking up. Kaoru shivered a little as a stiff breeze ghosted across his damp skin. There hadn't been any cars on this street in over an hour. It was going to be a slow night.

Los Angeles could be an unforgiving city on the best of days, but tonight looked to be especially bad. Kaoru hated working alone… but Hikaru had somehow charmed his way into the skirts of a lady they knew who had up and decided to whisk him away to Vegas for a week. She was a pretty nice lady, and they'd known her a while, so Kaoru wasn't especially worried about his twin brother. But it sucked being on the streets by himself, not having someone close at hand in case things got rough.

Part of him wanted to say 'forget it'. This was going to be a lousy night, and he wanted to be inside, somewhere where he could at least try to get warm. But he didn't have any money. He had a single crumpled dollar bill to his name, not even enough for another pack of cigarettes.

_'One trick,'_ he silently promised himself. _'Just one trick, so I'm not fucking broke… Enough to get some cigarettes and coffee, hell, maybe even some food.'_ He was fooling himself, of course… He'd either have to give it up to some thug in exchange for "protection" (god, that was a laugh, wasn't it?) or he'd wind up buying something he really fucking shouldn't buy, like alcohol, or maybe something stronger…

"Hey! You!" someone shouted.

Kaoru winced and glanced in the direction of the voice. He saw three gangsters approaching him, thuggish fellows in baggy clothes. The leader stepped up to him.

"Hey, Nancy-boy, get the fuck outta here. You know we don't let fags like you work our turf. We only let bitches walk this part, get me?"

"Come on, man, it's not like I'm stealing a bunch of johns or something," Kaoru sighed, making a gesture with his hand to indicate the empty street.

"Yeah, and what if someone rolls up and sees a pussy like you sitting here. They think we pussies too, then life gets really rough around here."

"Like it's not already," Kaoru muttered under his breath, grinding the spent cigarette butt beneath the heel of his shoe.

He really should have anticipated the blow to the side of his head, but he didn't, so he had no chance to brace himself and he sprawled onto the sidewalk, one hand reaching up to touch the throbbing part of his head that had just become acquainted with a gangster's fist.

"Okay, okay, jeeze, I'm taking off," he muttered, pushing himself onto his knees. But he was surprised again by a kick to the ribs that made him double over, wincing in pain. Knowing it was pointless to fight back, he just tried to protect sensitive areas and waited for the blows to stop. Satisfied that they'd made their point, the thugs started walking away, leaving Kaoru to nurse his wounds.

"Damnit…" he muttered, palpating his ribs. A couple of his ribs might be cracked, he wasn't certain… but none of them were broken, that would have to be enough. He definitely couldn't afford to go to a doctor right now.

Slowly, he pushed himself upright. He was bruised and sore, but nothing he couldn't handle. With a sigh, he headed to a nearby alley and retrieved a small filthy duffel bag containing his few possessions. Throwing the bag over his shoulder, he started walking towards an area where he COULD troll for tricks.

He brushed the wet shock of flaming red hair from his face, hoping he looked more appealing than he felt right now, otherwise he'd never attract a john and he'd be out on the streets all damn night… He checked the street in both directions. No cars (bad), no cops (good), no thugs (even better), so he ambled along the street, paying close attention to the sounds around him.

The rainwater soon had him drenched, leaving his clothes clinging to his too-skinny frame. One hand moved absently over prominent ribs, checking again to make sure none were broken. Usually the johns wanted him to stay relatively clothed, so any visible bruises shouldn't be a problem…

He rolled his shoulders a little to ease the tension starting to grip him. He wore a loose mesh shirt underneath a very baggy white tank top that drooped off one of his shoulders. Though white wasn't the best choice in the rain, it made the shirt nearly transparent as it clung to him. And the pants… they looked like they'd been painted on, but they were actually loose enough for him to slide off in an instant, but now that they were soaking wet… He sighed again, his scuffed and faded sneakers kicking the loose gravel scattered at odd intervals on the pavement.

Who was he kidding? He looked like death warmed over, and only the most desperate john would want anything to do with him tonight. And the desperate ones were the ones to avoid. If he was lucky, the only thing that would happen was that they'd try to stiff him after they were done. If he was unlucky (and that was how his luck looked tonight), they'd want something more… violent. And without Hikaru around as backup… no, this was a bad idea.

Kaoru had nearly convinced himself that he should just find a sheltered spot to sleep until the rain passed and he could clean himself up when he saw four thugs approaching him. Now he was nervous… he knew these guys. He'd had run-ins with them before. They were the type who wanted him to pay a fee for using their streets. And woe betide the hooker who didn't pay up… they'd be beaten, raped, even killed. Kaoru slowed his steps as they approached.

"Where do you think you're going?" one of the thugs asked.

"Just takin' a shortcut," Kaoru murmured, keeping his head down.

"You're not gonna try to pick up any johns on our turf without paying us, right?" another thug asked, leaning in way too close to Kaoru.

"I'm just walking… I'm not working tonight," Kaoru lied.

"Hmm… I think you're lying, and you better cough up the money unless you want things to get ugly," the thug said, throwing his arm around Kaoru's bony shoulders.

Kaoru dug his hand into his pocket and came up with the single crumpled dollar bill. "That's all I have. It's a bad night, so I'm getting out of the rain. I'll try again tomorrow," he insisted.

The thugs looked at each other, and Kaoru tried not to show too much fear. He just prayed that they'd believe him and let him go.

"Alright, but if we catch you turning a trick and not giving us a cut… You'll wish it was the cops that caught up with you tonight," one of the thugs threatened, and they all turned and started walking away.

Kaoru barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief when he saw headlights in the distance. The first car he'd seen in nearly three hours… He gulped, squinting at the car and praying it wouldn't be cops. That was all he needed tonight. He might be able to talk his way out of being arrested… but no guarantees.

He and his brother were pretty well known to the LAPD by now. A very rare few were willing to look the other way if they were just walking on the street, though they usually expected the boys to snitch on the other people on the streets, and that could make their lives even more difficult. Some cops could be bribed, either with money or… favors. But some wouldn't even think twice before tossing him in jail, and he really didn't want to spend a night in jail, especially without Hikaru to watch his back. Prison was rough, especially for a skinny and handsome youth who was known to turn tricks. Kaoru wished he didn't know that from experience.

The headlights were blinding as they approached, but as Kaoru squinted, he thought he could make out the shape of the car. It looked like… a Ferrari? No. No way. Those cars wouldn't be anywhere NEAR here, especially not at this time of night!

Kaoru froze for a moment as the headlights framed him, wondering who could possibly be driving such a nice car in such a shitty neighborhood at this time of night. To his surprise the car slowed. There was a young man behind the wheel, surely not much older than Kaoru, in his mid-20's… yet he had such a fancy car, and he wore a very expensive-looking suit. One long pale hand gestured for him to come closer.

For a moment, Kaoru could only stare stupidly at the car and the devastatingly handsome driver. The young man had very tidy jet-black hair, and intelligent slate gray eyes behind the wire frames of his glasses. He looked clean-cut and safe, so Kaoru approached cautiously. He tried not to show his apprehension though, putting a little strut into his step and leaning casually against the car and hoping his drowned-rat appearance wasn't enough to scare the man off.

"Hey, what can I do for you?" he asked, making his voice low and seductive as he looked at the man through half-lidded eyes.

The young man's expression never changed. "I'm afraid I've lost my way. Am I very far from Beverly Hills?"

Kaoru blinked. Then he blinked again. "Wait, you want directions?"

"Of course I do, why else would I have stopped?" the man asked.

Kaoru shook his head. That blow to the head must have knocked him silly, it was the only explanation. "You're actually lost and you want directions? That's all?" he repeated.

"Yes," the man said, just a hint of impatience creeping into his tone.

"Well that's a new one," Kaoru muttered under his breath. "Seriously, man, do I look like a fucking information booth over here?"

"Well, I wasn't planning on making assumptions based on your appearance, but since you asked, I'd have to say you look more like a prostitute," the young man said very matter-of-factly.

"Un-fucking-believable," Kaoru muttered, rubbing his forehead with his fingertips. "Yeah, you're pretty lost, man… You're in Central LA… Not really your type of place, I'm sure you'll agree."

The man's lips moved soundlessly, shaping what might have been a curse. "Well, can you give me directions then?"

"Sure," Kaoru said, a cocky grin appearing on his face, "for five bucks."

"Five dollars? You're joking," the man said.

"Yeah, the attitude just upped the price to ten," Kaoru said. "Unless you see anyone else who can give you directions."

The dark-haired man glanced at something further down the door, then appeared to decide something. "Can you break a twenty?"

Kaoru felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck. He glanced in the same direction that the man he was talking to had looked, and felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. The thugs that had been threatening him were walking over, and Kaoru was sure he'd never be able to convince them that this weirdo really did just want directions (he still didn't quite believe it himself).

"Shit, man, I can't break a twenty… Listen, for that twenty, I'll show you the way personally."

The young man's eyes flickered back towards the approaching thugs, then rested on Kaoru's face for what felt like an eternity. "Very well, get in."

Kaoru didn't have to be told twice, he moved around the car in a few quick steps and slid into the passenger seat, ducking his head as they passed the thugs so he wouldn't have to see the ugly looks on their faces.

"Flip this thing around, you're heading the wrong way," Kaoru said. The man next to him spun the Ferrari around easily and headed back the way he'd come.

They'd been driving for a few minutes and Kaoru was shivering. His wet clothes still clung unpleasantly to his body, and he wondered if he'd be lucky enough to find someplace to dry them out tonight. He jumped when the man next to him spoke.

"What's your name?"

Kaoru stared at him. "You serious?"

"Yes, of course."

"Why do you care what my name is?"

"I'd just like to know the name of the person I'm traveling with. Is that a problem?"

"It's weird, is what it is," Kaoru muttered under his breath, staring out the window as the streets snaked by. He saw a few of the other hookers and junkies he knew, but it seemed most people had already headed for shelter. It was a bad night to work the streets. He was suddenly relieved that he had a guaranteed twenty coming his way. That would be enough to stop working for the night and find shelter himself.

The corner of his companion's mouth turned up a little and he reached down to adjust the temperature controls. Warm air raked over Kaoru, who reflexively jerked, but then started to settle into the seat.

"Hope I'm not messing up your seats," he mumbled.

"A little water never hurt anything, and leather cleans well," the man said. "I'm Kyouya, by the way."

Kaoru stared at him. "You're still stuck on that, aren't you?"

Kyouya seemed to be repressing a chuckle. "If you won't tell me your name, I think I'll have to make one up for you."

Kaoru stared at him, then back at the window. "Turn left up there. And you can give me whatever name you want, I don't care."

That repressed laughter was back again. "Fine, I think I'll call you Rose."

Kaoru arched one eyebrow. "That's a new one."

"I think it fits," Kyouya said.

"I don't know if I want to know why," Kaoru muttered. "In fact, I'm pretty sure you're making fun of me."

"So tell me, Rose," Kyouya said pleasantly, "isn't this taking you out of your area? How will you get back?"

"It doesn't matter where you leave me," Kaoru said flatly. "Got no place I need to be tonight."

Kyouya's eyebrows knitted together. "So, Rose, do you enjoy being a streetwalker?"

"It pays," Kaoru said, still staring out the window.

"So do day jobs."

"Hard to find a day job when you're… like me," he decided at last.

"Must be dangerous… selling yourself on the streets of Central LA like that."

"You don't know the half of it," Kaoru muttered. "But a guy's gotta eat. I do what I can to be safe. In every way." He chewed on one of his fingernails.

"Ugly habit, nail biting," Kyouya said, wrinkling his nose.

"You haven't seen shit if you think this is ugly," Kaoru said. "Turn right."

They drove for a few more minutes. Finally Kaoru straightened up.

"You can let me off here. If you stay on this road, you'll be in Beverly Hills in just a few minutes. You can't miss it."

Kyouya pulled the car over, then handed over the promised twenty. Kaoru tried not to look too eager as he grabbed it, his fingers twitching as he thought that the first thing he'd buy was a pack of cigarettes. But as he reached for the door handle, he noticed that Kyouya hadn't unlocked the door. A chill ran down his spine and his fingers tightened on the door handle, wondering if he'd misjudged the well-cut stranger.

"How much do you charge for company?" Kyouya asked suddenly, making Kaoru stare at him in confusion.

"I… what?" Kaoru asked, blinking.

"How much do you charge for company?" Kyouya repeated.

Hikaru was the one that handled prices. Kaoru probably could have really taken the guy for a ride, but he was tired and cold and he knew he looked like shit, and this guy was actually being pretty nice to him… "Guess it depends on how long you want me for, and what you want me to do."

"For the whole night?"

Kaoru tried his best not to stare openly. There had been a couple times where both he and Hikaru had entertained someone for a night, and he was pretty sure they'd been paid at least five hundred dollars. He swallowed. "A hundred bucks. More if you decide you want to do kinky shit."

"I take it you're open to negotiation then?"

Kaoru shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

"Very well then." And Kyouya kept driving, and Kaoru kept staring out at the cold wet night, wondering if he would end up regretting this decision.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A/N: It's really really wrong for me to be enjoying writing this fic so much. Oh well. Don't even care. Enjoy the latest chapter!

More of the same warning this time, references to drug abuse, references to other types of abuse, allusions to Kaoru's very shitty past… Good times.

Disclaimer: I don't own OHC or Pretty Woman.

* * *

They pulled into the parking lot of an incredibly fancy hotel, and Kaoru felt like a piece of dirt for even thinking he could set foot on the property. "Fancy digs," he muttered.

"I have a coat in the back if you'd like to throw it on," Kyouya suggested.

"You sure you want me touching your coat?" Kaoru asked.

"The coat can be cleaned if necessary. Besides, this isn't exactly the kind of place that rents rooms by the hour."

"You mean they don't have hookers."

"Every place has hookers," Kyouya deadpanned. "Although any hooker working around here would…" He paused.

"They wouldn't look they came from Central LA," Kaoru muttered.

"That's one way to put it," Kyouya agreed.

Kaoru slid out of the car and picked up the black jacket, sliding it over his slender body. He winced as his cracked ribs ached at the movement. But the coat fell nearly to his knees, concealing most of his outfit. "Cool, now I look like a hooker in a trench coat. Big improvement."

Kyouya actually chuckled as Kaoru grabbed his duffel bag. There was no way to hide the ratty thing, so he just threw it over his shoulder the way he did when he walked the streets, not bothering to hide himself. Kyouya watched him, an unfathomable expression on his face.

They stepped into the elevator together and the operator stared openly at Kaoru. Kyouya ignored the stare. "Penthouse," he said curtly, and the man snapped to attention.

"Very good, sir."

When they reached the top floor, Kyouya led the way to the only doors in the hallway, a lovely set of polished wooden double doors. Kaoru followed him in, and had to swallow a yelp of shock when he saw the room. They appeared to be in a small sitting room with a couch and a desk. Beyond, mostly hidden by a wall, he could see the large king-sized bed and a door that must lead to the bathroom. Everything was gilded and fancy and Kaoru had never even SEEN the amount of money it must have taken to rent the damn place.

"Impressed?" Kyouya asked.

Kaoru finally pulled himself together. "You kidding? I come here all the time. They rent this room by the hour on Mondays and Thursdays."

Kyouya chuckled again.

Kaoru took another cautious step, but he couldn't make himself move any further. He chewed on his thumbnail a little as he looked around.

"So…" he said at last, "what are you going to do with me now?"

Kyouya's head tilted to one side as he regarded Kaoru. "I hadn't exactly planned to pick anyone up. "

"Do you plan everything?" Kaoru couldn't resist asking.

Kyouya's head dipped forward slightly, the light reflecting off his glasses and obscuring those lovely gray eyes. "Always."

Kaoru tried not to shudder. He still wasn't sure what to make of his new companion. "Well, the meter's running."

"Hm…" Kyouya hummed, one finger resting against his lips. "Well, you can start by taking a shower. You look like you're freezing."

Kaoru blinked. "Um… okay."

He stepped into the bathroom, and swore out loud when he saw all the gold plating and shining white surfaces. He kicked off his sodden shoes and then began stripping off his wet clothing, laying the different articles out to dry. Finally he stepped into the shower, shivering as the first blast of icy water hit him. But soon it began to warm up, and he felt his muscles uncoil.

He actually moaned out loud as he soaked in the pleasantly warm water. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd HAD a hot shower… As he raised his arms to start washing his hair, the pain in his ribs brought him back to earth, and he whimpered in pain. Glancing down, he saw that his side was already turning an ugly bluish-purple color, and there were definitely at least two cracked ribs, maybe three or even four.

Luckily, that was his worst injury for the moment. There was a small bump on his head from the hit he'd taken earlier, and there were some scrapes on his palm and scratches on his face from his close contact with the ground. There were a few fading yellow bruises from a rough encounter a few days ago. He studied his right wrist for a moment, observing the faint yellowed marks shaped exactly like human fingers. His shoulder twinged a little from where it had been pulled roughly when his arm had been yanked behind his back. That hadn't been fun, but it didn't seem to have done any lasting damage. Soon these marks would be gone… to be replaced later, no doubt.

He took his time, slowly and carefully washing every inch of his body. Who knew when he'd get this chance again? He looked in a couple of the bathroom cabinets, but he didn't see any medical supplies, so he decided to suck it up.

He slid into one of his clean outfits, a pair of sinfully tight jeans and a t-shirt that was probably a size too small, but defined his chest beautifully, a plain black thing that he looked smashing in. Leaving his feet bare and his hair tousled and uncombed, he touched his ribs one more time, then padded back into the suite.

Kyouya was sitting on the couch, tapping away on a laptop, and he didn't even look up when Kaoru walked back into the room. Kaoru hesitated a few feet away, and finally Kyouya looked up, then nodded to the other end of the couch. "Sit. Please," he said, then turned his attention back to the laptop.

Kaoru stepped around the couch and took a seat on the other end, not too close to the middle, but not cringing at the opposite end either. His hands played along the seams of his jeans as he tried to figure out what to do next. Kyouya seemed utterly unconcerned by his presence, his fingers flying over the keyboard. But at last, he looked up at Kaoru.

"So… now what?" Kaoru asked finally.

Kyouya smiled again, and Kaoru noticed for the first time that his smiles never quite reached his eyes. "Well, Rose, I think we should continue talking."

Kaoru swallowed, his mouth a little too dry. "Um… okay… Are you in town on business then?"

"I am."

"Are you a… lawyer?" Kaoru guessed.

"Why would you guess that?" Kyouya asked, his face still inscrutable.

Kaoru licked his lips. "Don't take this the wrong way…" he pleaded, "but you kind of remind me of a shark."

"Hmm…" Kyouya hummed. "I actually like that. But wouldn't that make me rather dangerous for you to be around?"

_'You are not even close to the most dangerous person I've ever seen… not even in the top fifty,'_ Kaoru thought, but out loud, he said, "Well, you were the only chance I had to make some money tonight. I took a chance."

"It would seem that in your line of work, you'd do that a lot."

"I guess so," Kaoru muttered, resisting the urge to touch his ribs or his wrist. "Listen, do you have any cigarettes?"

Kyouya lifted an eyebrow. "No. Should I?"

"You mind if I slip out and buy a pack?" Kaoru asked, rubbing his hands roughly against his knees and trying not to twist his fingers into knots.

"I will go and purchase a few things downstairs," Kyouya said. "You will remain here."

"Okay, sure," Kaoru agreed.

Kyouya stood and left the room, while Kaoru paced the suite. He approached the sliding glass doors that led out to the balcony, and finally stepped out.

The rain had stopped, leaving the air cool and pleasant. He stared out at the city he called home, the lights glimmering and reflecting off the smog that blanketed the city every day. He wondered if he should dig out his cheap little prepaid cellphone and text Hikaru, but he couldn't remember if they'd paid for another month.

The glass door opening behind him made him jump. Kyouya was watching him and holding a pack of cigarettes in one hand. "You'll smoke them out here, got it, Rose?"

Kaoru didn't even care that he'd been called Rose yet again, he just snatched the pack. "I'm not an animal. I didn't figure this room would be a smoking room." He dug the lighter out of his pocket (thankful he'd remembered to grab it when he'd dressed) and lit the first cigarette, drawing the smoke in deep and exhaling out over the city.

Kyouya watched him carefully. "Do you also partake of harder drugs?" he asked.

Kaoru shrugged. "Sometimes. Whatever gets me through the day. Usually I can't afford it though."

"That's one way to stay clean."

"Yeah, well…" Kaoru shrugged. "I don't want to be reduced to… to that." He shuddered, picturing some of the junkies he knew, the ones who would do ANYTHING to get their next fix. _'Even if that's where I'll probably be in another ten years…' _he thought morosely.

"Then why use at all?" Kyouya asked.

Kaoru took another drag of the cigarette. "Because… just because, okay?" When Kyouya didn't say anything, Kaoru glanced away from him. "Because sometimes there are things I don't want to feel or remember." And he didn't look at Kyouya, not wanting to see any pity, or lack thereof.

"Aren't there other options?" Kyouya asked.

"Other jobs?" Kaoru asked. Kyouya nodded. Kaoru shook his head. "Not for me."

"Why not?"

"Isn't this getting a little too gritty for you?" Kaoru asked, remembering just in time that he was barefoot and smashing the cigarette butt against the railing to extinguish it rather than dropping it and grinding it out beneath his foot. "I didn't figure you'd want to hear about life on the wrong side of the tracks."

"On the contrary… I'm very curious."

"I don't know why," Kaoru said bluntly. "You don't even know my real name, and we'll never see each other again after the night is over."

Kyouya took a few steps closer, but cautiously, as though he was afraid Kaoru would push him away or try to run. "I've asked for your real name multiple times. You're the one who won't give it to me."

Kaoru was backed against the railing of the balcony. His hands gripped the railing tightly as Kyouya approached. Kyouya put one hand on the railing next to Kaoru's, and used the other to lift the boy's face so they could look into each other's eyes. Kaoru couldn't help but notice that Kyouya's body was angled so that Kaoru could push him aside and bolt back into the room. Not trapped then… there was an out. Kaoru let himself relax a little.

"Hmm, I thought so," Kyouya murmured. "You like to know you have a way out… Seems a shame you don't have one for your life."

Kaoru gulped as Kyouya's fingertips brushed his wrist, directly over the yellow bruises. Kaoru jerked his wrist reflexively, and Kyouya didn't stop him from moving. He'd seen the faint yellow marks then, and there was a question in those eyes.

"I was lucky," Kaoru said, not sure why he was saying this. "I had an out that time."

"Is that so?" Kyouya asked.

"No one said they could all be perfect," Kaoru replied.

"What happened?"

"The john got rough with me. But my brother knew where I was. He came and got me. Beaned the john over the head with a board too."

"There's a brother now…" Kyouya mused. "And where is he tonight?"

"He's… around…" Kaoru said vaguely.

"Somehow I don't think you're telling me the truth," Kyouya said.

Kaoru looked down, cursing his transparent expressions.

"You want me to think that you'll be missed soon if no one hears from you…" Kyouya said, reaching up to brush a few strands of hair off Kaoru's face. "That's understandable… it's a very reasonable safety precaution… having a buddy system…"

"Well, usually I do," Kaoru said at last.

"Which brings me back to my original question… where is your brother tonight?"

Kaoru sighed. "Vegas."

Kyouya lifted an eyebrow. "And you aren't with him?"

"The woman he's with… just wanted him," Kaoru said with a shrug. "So I'm on my own til he gets back."

"There, see, now that wasn't so hard," Kyouya said. "So, Rose, what do I have to do to convince you to tell me your name?"

Kaoru bit his lip. "Tell me why you call me Rose, and I'll tell you my name," he decided at last.

Kyouya chuckled. "That was a bit of a joke on my part. Have you ever heard of Rose Street in Scotland?"

"I… think so…" Kaoru said cautiously.

"It sounds like such an innocuous name, doesn't it? But that's because most people don't know the origin story."

"Which is?"

"In the old days, the phrase 'to pluck a rose' meant to pick up a prostitute. Rose Street was the red light district back in the day."

"Ahh…" Kaoru sighed, understanding at last. Then he tilted his head. "Somehow I don't think this is what they meant."

"No, I don't imagine it was. But that was my little joke… In this case, you are the rose that I have… plucked."

"So you WERE making fun of me."

"You don't have to think of it that way."

Kaoru just wrinkled his nose. Kyouya smiled.

"Now it's time for your part of the agreement."

"Kaoru," the redhead said without hesitation. "My name is Kaoru."

"I think I like that better than Rose," Kyouya said softly, still gently cupping the boy's chin in his hand.

And then Kyouya leaned in and kissed him.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A/N: …Hm… I don't know what to write over here right now. I guess just that I'm sorry it's taking so long to post chapters… It sucks, I know. I'm just really uninspired lately. I'm trying, I really am… Well, enjoy this chapter, and hopefully my muses will return from their unscheduled vacation soon.

Disclaimer: Don't own Ouran Host Club or Pretty Woman.

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Kaoru couldn't move as Kyouya's lips brushed against his. It was soft, gentle, not like anything he'd ever felt before. Usually his clients weren't interested in kissing. In fact, he couldn't think of anyone who'd ever kissed him like this…

_'Don't panic,'_ he reminded himself sternly. _'You have an escape route if you need it.'_ But he couldn't stop the way his body became tense and taunt, ready to fight or fly if he needed.

Kyouya pulled back, and those cool gray eyes appraised him. "Hm…" Kyouya sighed. "I had assumed that the taste of that cigarette you just smoked would have made that more unpleasant than it was. I still don't think I'm going to take up smoking though."

Kaoru started to open his mouth, but didn't trust himself to speak, so he snapped his mouth shut.

"What's the matter? Don't tell me I just stole your first kiss," Kyouya said, just a hint of teasing in his voice.

Kaoru managed a weak squeak before finding his voice. "It's… not usually what people pick me up for," he decided.

"Ah… I should have assumed as much," Kyouya said, his fingers against tracing the faint bruises on Kaoru's wrist, bruises that Kaoru was sure Kyouya shouldn't have been able to see. This man was more observant than Kaoru had given him credit for. "Although… I suppose I could have asked this question earlier… but I'm not even sure how to ask… Ahh… Who would you spend your time with… if you weren't working?"

Kaoru's eyebrows went up as he tried to decipher the question. "You mean, am I just gay for pay?"

Kyouya's eyes closed for a moment. "Why do you insist on using that crude vernacular? Are you hoping to frighten me off?"

"It's called street slang, and I'm just trying to clarify whatever the hell your delicate sensibilities are preventing from asking me in plain English."

"Fine, yes, I suppose that's what I'm asking you. Tell me, Kaoru, if you weren't under financial obligations, would you have sex with another male, or do you prefer female company?"

Kaoru only barely resisted rolling his eyes, mostly because that question made him way more uncomfortable than it should have. "Umm…" he trailed off, licking his lower lip. And he didn't fail to notice the way Kyouya twitched.

"It's a simple question, isn't it?" Kyouya asked, the tiniest edge of irritation in his voice.

Kaoru ducked his head. "Not for me."

Kyouya's eyebrows knitted together as he tried to figure that out.

"I… I don't… I've never…" Kaoru couldn't figure out how to explain.

"You've only ever had sex for money?" Kyouya guessed.

Kaoru thought about prison, about trading favors for protection. "Yeah, pretty much. Never for my own pleasure," he decided at last.

"Haven't you at least thought about it?" Kyouya pressed.

Kaoru shook his head. "It's the last thing I want to think about when I have money in my pocket. My brother does sometimes, but… I… I just don't want to think about it. It feels… weird."

"Because you're giving something away that you're usually receiving money for?"

_'Because it only ever seems to hurt, so why would I do it during my free time?'_ "I don't know, I've never really thought about it much. I just know it's not something I've been interested in." His eyes followed Kyouya's long white fingers, tracing their way down the front of his t-shirt.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?"

_'Everyone makes me uncomfortable anymore…'_ "I'm not used to someone asking me questions about my life." _'Especially someone who actually seems to care about my answers.'_

"So much effort just to make you tell me your name…" Kyouya murmured, his fingers continuing their slow journey across Kaoru's shirt. "I wonder what I'd have to do to get you to tell me how you ended up here."

"That's not a mystery, is it? You brought me here," Kaoru said flippantly.

"You know what I mean," Kyouya said. "You could ask me questions too, you know. I promise I'll answer as honestly as you do."

_'Weasel words… He has to be a lawyer…'_ Kaoru thought. But he shook his head. "I already told you, I don't really need to know anything about you… I'm sure you'll never make the mistake of wandering into Central LA again, and I'd probably get shot or something if I tried to walk these streets. Our paths won't cross again."

"You seem very confident of that. Maybe I want to go slumming."

Kaoru snorted. "Please. Your type doesn't slum, not like that. You were lost."

"Maybe I'd get lost again."

"And maybe then I'd ask you a couple questions, like why you don't have a GPS in your car." Kaoru wasn't sure where his newfound attitude had come from, but he was watching Kyouya closely to make sure the man wasn't going to react badly to his sass. To his relief, Kyouya seemed more amused than anything.

"You must be getting more comfortable with me," Kyouya said with a smirk.

Kaoru blinked. Frankly, he wasn't sure what the hell was going on anymore. Kyouya didn't seem especially interested in sex, and usually Kaoru would be pulling his naïve and innocent act to move things along… but if Kyouya wasn't in a hurry, Kaoru certainly wasn't going to be… He realized how tightly his hands were gripping the iron railing behind him and tried to loosen them without drawing too much attention to his actions.

"You can relax, you know," Kyouya said. "I promise I'm not going to hurt you."

Kaoru's lips twitched. _'If it were actually that simple…'_

"You don't believe me… But then, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised." Kyouya's fingers traced the bruises on Kaoru's wrist again and the redhead twitched again. "Would you like something to eat?" Kyouya asked suddenly. "I can order room service."

Kaoru mutely shook his head. Kyouya's eyes narrowed.

"You're skin and bones. Eating a full meal would probably do wonders for you."

"I ate earlier. I'm okay," Kaoru said softly, lying through his teeth.

Kyouya looked skeptical, but he didn't press the issue. And Kaoru was glad because he suddenly had to put all his energy into controlling his facial expressions as Kyouya's fingers ghosted across his new bruises and cracked ribs. His breath hitched slightly as he bit back a whine of pain.

_'Relax,'_ he told himself. _'Don't show pain. Don't show fear. Don't show weakness. They'll use it against you. Don't show pain. Don't show fear. Don't show weakness.'_ He repeated the mantra over and over in his head, trying to keep his facial expressions neutral and swallow the whimpers of pain threatening to erupt.

And then Kyouya poked him hard, right over one of the cracked ribs, and Kaoru jerked away before he could stop himself. Kyouya scowled. "I thought you were hiding something. What happened to you?"

"Nothing," Kaoru said through clenched teeth.

Kyouya's eyes narrowed, and the hand that had been caressing Kaoru's wrist darted up to his shoulder, and Kaoru found himself being roughly yanked back into the hotel room. He yelped in alarm as Kyouya used a wiry strength Kaoru hadn't realized he possessed to shove him towards the bed. Instinctively, Kaoru twisted his body so he wouldn't land on his aching ribs, one arm moving to cover and protect said ribs, and the other bracing him as he hit the mattress. For a wild moment, he thought Kyouya was going to pin him down to the bed, but instead the young man perched next to him.

"Perhaps that was a bit rough, but you seemed to have no intention of listening to me," Kyouya said calmly. "I figured taking you by surprise was the best course of action."

Kaoru exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Deny it all you want, but you're obviously hurt. Will you let me look at your injury?"

"…Why?" Kaoru asked cautiously.

"I want to see how badly you're injured. What's so strange about that?" Kyouya asked.

"A lot more than you might think," Kaoru said before he could stop himself. And then he ducked his head as those gray eyes pierced him, trying to unlock every mystery he kept locked away.

"Well, I do have medical training, if that's what you're worried about," Kyouya said at last.

Kaoru wasn't quite sure when this had happened, but instead of huddling on the bed, he'd shifted so that he was on his back, propping himself up with his elbows. Usually this position would have left him feeling vulnerable and more than a little nervous, but he just studied Kyouya with an almost detached caution.

"Some thugs decided to teach me not to work on their turf," he said finally, "not too long before you picked me up actually. It's not that bad though, honest. They just cracked a couple ribs. None of them are broken."

"Not yet. And how do you know that?" Kyouya demanded.

"I've had broken ribs before. This is nothing compared to that." He didn't bother mentioning that those broken ribs had been just one small part of a brutal assault, and the one good thing about being in jail meant his injuries were treated by a competent doctor and he had emerged from the hospital in excellent health. Of course, if he hadn't been in jail, he never would have been assaulted, but he was trying to look at the positives here. "I'm fine, really."

Kyouya sighed. "For my own peace of mind then, if you won't think of yourself. Let me look at your injury."

Kaoru sighed, rolling his eyes a little. But he sat up and one hand grabbed the bottom of his t-shirt, yanking it up to expose the ugly bruise covering his side. He didn't look at Kyouya as he did this, just glanced down at his knees.

Kyouya sighed. "Sit still. I'm going to palpate your ribs as gently as I can. Please don't move; I don't want to hurt you any more than is inevitable."

Kaoru managed a weak grin. "Well, thanks for not lying about whether or not it'll hurt."

"It seems to be the least I can do," Kyouya said. One hand rested lightly on Kaoru's shoulder, the other gently touched the painful bruised area.

Kaoru was as still as a statue as Kyouya prodded gently at the ribs, the only signs of discomfort being small winces and a few instances where he bit his lip and closed his eyes, but he never made a sound. Kyouya's hands were smooth, warm and gentle against his skin. Kaoru didn't flinch, and he kept his breathing even with a superhuman effort. When Kyouya removed his hand, Kaoru's arm trembled as he slowly lowered the shirt to cover himself again.

"What was your plan to deal with this if I hadn't picked you up?" Kyouya asked softly.

"Invest in some medical tape to patch up the ribs… maybe something off the street to take the edge off the pain. I know a couple guys who could get vicodin, Percocet, all that shit… I'm not a fan, mind you… I don't like taking stuff that messes with my head, especially when I'm on my own. Probably buy a bottle of aspirin, then take something hard to take the edge off." Kaoru gingerly touched his side, then lay back on the bed.

"I see…" Kyouya murmured. "Please excuse me for a moment." He rose gracefully and started walking towards the sitting room area. Kaoru remained where he was, staring up at the ceiling and wondering why he'd just confided so much in a man who was still virtually a stranger.

A few minutes went by and there was a knock at the door. Kyouya answered it and spoke briefly to the hotel staff member standing there, then Kaoru heard Kyouya moving around the sitting room for another minute.

"Kaoru, would you come here please?" Kyouya asked at last.

Kaoru pushed himself to his feet and stepped over. Kyouya was standing in front of the couch, unwrapping a package of medical tape.

"Sit. And remove your shirt," the dark-haired man said, pointing to the couch.

Kaoru wondered when his life had become so surreal. But it was with only a tiny amount of trepidation, born from years of dealing with strangers in unsavory places, that Kaoru approached. He obediently removed his shirt, and he couldn't help but notice Kyouya's breath hitch. This left Kaoru more puzzled than ever… Kyouya was obviously somewhat attracted to him, and he'd paid Kaoru to spend the night in his hotel room, yet he'd barely made a move… Kaoru didn't know what to think.

The redhead sat down carefully on the edge of the couch, and Kyouya knelt next to him, carefully taping up the cracked ribs.

"They'll heal more completely if you don't move around too much," Kyouya said softly. "I may not be a practicing doctor or anything, but I think I can advise you not to push yourself."

"Duly noted," Kaoru said.

"Here, take a couple of these," Kyouya said, dropping a pair of white pills into Kaoru's hand. The redhead stared skeptically at the pills for a moment. Kyouya held up the package. "Relax, they're just basic painkillers. Non-drowsy."

Kaoru wrinkled his nose. "Do you think I'm being paranoid?"

Kyouya hesitated. "It crossed my mind for a minute, but… I have a feeling that your past… is filled with many experiences the likes of which I could not even begin to imagine."

"You do have a way with words, Kyouya."

Kyouya looked surprised, and a bit pleased. "That's the first time you've actually used my name since we met. I was beginning to wonder if you'd forgotten it."

Kaoru ducked his head, a bit embarrassed. He chased the pills with a glass of water Kyouya handed him. Kyouya moved to resume his seat on the couch next to Kaoru, and he lifted the lid from the tray sitting on the low table in front of them.

"I apologize for not asking for your input, but you seemed so resistant to the idea earlier… I thought you'd have a harder time refusing if there was actually food right in front of you."

Kaoru stared at the contents of the tray… a rather large steak, a platter of spaghetti, a basket of bread, and a gigantic salad. There were two plates and two sets of silverware. Kyouya took a bit of everything, then opened a bottle of wine. Seeing the look on Kaoru's face, he hastened to reassure him.

"You don't have to partake of the wine if you don't want to. I won't be offended if you drink water. But personally I rather enjoy a fine Cabernet with dinner."

Kaoru supposed he shouldn't have been surprised by the high-quality drink in this classy hotel. "I don't know if it's a good idea to mix alcohol and painkillers," he pointed out.

"Perhaps not. As I said, I leave the matter entirely up to you," Kyouya said, sipping from his glass of the rich burgundy liquid.

Kaoru finally helped himself to the food, which tasted even more amazing than it smelled. But he paced himself rather than scarfing everything at once while Kyouya nibbled at his food and read something on his laptop that Kaoru couldn't see. By the time he finished eating, his eyes were starting to droop closed. It was late, nearly 3am, and he couldn't quite remember the last time he'd slept well.

"Don't feel that you need to stay up on my account," Kyouya said, breaking into Kaoru's thoughts. "Feel free to change and go to bed whenever you want."

Kaoru glanced down at the tight jeans. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

Now Kyouya looked up from his laptop. "You weren't actually planning to sleep in those, were you? That can't be comfortable."

_'Oh boy…'_ Kaoru thought. He hadn't really wanted to get into this aspect of his life. "Ahh..." he began, than stopped, trying to remember what he had in the duffel bag.

Feeling Kyouya's eyes on him, he finally stood and went into the bathroom and began rooting through the duffel bag. Stuffed in the bottom, he finally found what had passed for pajamas back when he and Hikaru had managed to rent a room for a few months… a threadbare pair of loose pajama pants that had perhaps been blue and white once, and a soft baggy t-shirt that had once been white. Both were nearly falling apart at the seams, but they were technically pajamas, so he changed, brushed his teeth, and then stepped out before he could scare himself wondering what Kyouya would think of his less than presentable clothing.

He needn't have worried; Kyouya still hadn't come back to the bedroom. At first Kaoru hesitated next to the huge king-sized bed, but finally he moved around to the side furthest from the door. He curled up, wrapping his arms around one of the pillows and huddling beneath the blankets. It took a few minutes before he stopped trembling, and soon he sank into a dreamless sleep.


End file.
